


Even grumpy flatcars need comfort sometimes

by Fandom_Trash_Goblin



Series: Stex drabbles [3]
Category: Starlight Express - Phillips/Stilgoe/Webber
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Children being separated from parents, Cuddling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional pain, Grieving, Group Cuddling, Hurt/Comfort, Loss I guess, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Multi, Now for the angsty tags, Sadness, cuteness, i tried not to make it too in your face so everyone can enjoy it, mentions of getting a tooth knocked out, not so platonic cuddling with flat-top cb and dustin, not so platonic kissing also, pain from work, platonic cuddling (at least with the Rockies), you can read this as non-shipping if you like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:07:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Trash_Goblin/pseuds/Fandom_Trash_Goblin
Summary: Flat-Top is very attached to his pet brick, Brick, but why? What happens when Brick gets crumbled?
Relationships: CB | Caboose/Flat-Top/Dustin (implied), Slab (oc)/Block (oc)
Series: Stex drabbles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122296
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	Even grumpy flatcars need comfort sometimes

“Hey, Flats, can ya come over here and help us?” Rocky called over the brick truck.

“Sure.” Flat-Top replied, beginning to skate towards the group. Unfortunately, he didn’t notice the piece of metal sticking out of the ground right in his path. He couldn’t catch himself when he tripped on it, and he couldn’t catch himself when he fell headfirst into a wall.

“Flat-Top!” He heard Dustin yell, then he heard the rush of skates coming towards him.

“Are you okay?” Rocco asked.

“I’m fine.” Flat-Top shook his head, he was slightly dizzy, and he felt oddly light for some reason...

“I guess the same can’t be said for that brick of yours.” Rocky snorted.

“Wha-“ Flat-Top reached up and felt his helmet. No. No. Where was-

He looked down to see the crumbled remains of Brick. 

“No!” He yelled out, trying hard to keep the tears from falling. He leaned down on the dirt, his hands shaking in panic, “Brick!”

“Relax, Flats, it’s just a brick.” Rocky raised a brow.

“What?” Flat-Top shot up, “What did you say?!” He snarled at Rocky.

“Brick isn’t just a brick! He’s way more than that!” He growled.

Rocky backed up, holding his hands up.

“Leave me alone!” He shouted before reaching down and collecting up the pieces of his very first friend. Preventing tears wasn’t optional now, and they flowed freely on his cheeks. He shoved his way past the rest of the freight and sprinted to the shed he shared with C.B. and Dustin.

“What’s up with him?” Rocket murmured.

Once inside the shed, he sat on the nest of pillows and blankets that the three of them shared. Looking at the crumbled brick, he let out a very loud, full-blown sob. 

_ A young brick truck could be seen skating with his parents, the three of them holding hands. “Are you excited, Flat-Top?” One asked, trying to see if his son had any joy left after hearing the news. “No.” The small truck said simply. “You should be, this is a new adventure!” The other parent said, maybe if his partner couldn’t convince their son that this was good, he could. The small flatcar didn’t respond, he just looked at his wheels. _

_ The two older trucks looked at each other with worry.  _

_ Later that night, when Flat-Top was asleep, his two fathers stood outside of their shed talking. “He isn’t going to like it, Slab.” The smaller one said, nervously scratching his dark hair. “I don’t know what you want me to do, Block.” The thickset one sighed, “If that’s what the boss wants...that’s what has to happen.” He shook his head. “Why? Why Flat-Top? He’s so young!” Block’s hands started shaking, a nervous habit of his. “I know, but we can’t do anything, love. If our yard decides to sell our son, then he has to go.” He set his forehead against his partners, and wrapped his arms around the other brick truck as Block began crying. _

Flat-Top cried more at the memory. He missed his fathers. He hadn’t seen them since he was ten. Curse the humans for sending him away and curse the humans for not letting them visit. He didn’t know if they were retired, scrapped, or worse. And that terrified him to the core. 

“Starlight damn it!” He screamed, taking off his helmet and throwing it against the wall. It hit it with a loud metallic bang before clacking on the ground. 

_The same young brick truck could be seen skating by himself, wholly avoiding the other freight trucks who were eagerly singing and dancing. He didn’t need them. He had himself. Which is why instead of having fun, he was working. Control wanted bricks to build a new wall, which left Flat-Top, the only flatcar, to do all the work. He hated being the only flatcar. Not only did it leave him to do everything, but he didn’t have any friends. Back at his old yard, there were tons of other young flatcars that he could talk to. But here? He was it._

_ Some still considered him too young, which was likely true, but Flat-Top thought he was old enough to work. He still struggled a little bit, the bricks were heavy. It was especially bad since he didn’t have an engine to lead him down the tracks. He did ask one of the diesels that hung around, they looked about his age, but that led to him getting beat up and losing a tooth. So he didn’t have one to help him. _

_He groaned as he dropped the load of bricks. He began skating away to get more, but he stopped from the feeling of something lodged in the plating on his back. A brick. Who would have guessed? This one was different from the rest. While the other bricks he dropped off were grey, this one was red. “You’re different, ain’t ya?” He mumbled, “I’m different too, mate.” The brick didn’t respond, of course. “Wanna be pals?” The brick still didn’t respond, as it was a brick. “I’ll take that as a yes!” He grinned, showing off his newly missing tooth. He set the brick atop of his helmet and skated off to get more._

Flat-Top was tired of this. He still hated being the only flatcar. Now that Brick was gone, who would he share his feelings with? The rest of the freight would never understand his troubles. The constant back pain, how his knees shook and buckled sometimes because of the weight he often carried, the dust inhalation, or all the times he’d broken his wheels from dropping bricks on them. Nobody understood him. 

“Flat-Top...?”

He looked up from Brick to see Dustin standing in the doorway.

“What?” He snapped, quickly wiping away his tears.

“I’m really sorry about Brick, I know ‘ow much ‘e meant to you...I found a nice box you can put him in if you like, we can ‘ave a funeral for ‘im tomorrow if you want.” The big Hopper quietly closed the door behind himself and skated towards his best friend, sitting next to him.

“Thanks, mate...that means a lot.” Flat-Top smiled a little, then he motioned for Dustin to open the box. Dustin obliged and let his friend gently drop the crumbles of brick in the wooden box before putting the top back on.

Dustin carefully set the box off to side, where nobody would accidentally step on it or anything. “Are you gonna be okay?” Dustin asked.

“I dunno, mate...Brick was my first friend.” Flat-Top sighed. 

“I know ‘e was.” Dustin set an arm around Flat-Top’s shoulders and gently pressed his head against Flat-Top’s. 

“Least I still got you.” Flat-Top murmured.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

The two looked up to see C.B. leaning in from the door. 

“Nah, come and sit with us.” Flat-Top jerked his head in their direction. 

C.B. lit up and skated towards the pair, stopping to pick something up off the ground and examine it.

“What’s this?” He asked Flat-Top, showing him an old picture.

Damn it. Why hadn’t he noticed that it fell out? He always kept that picture safely tucked under his helmet so that he wouldn’t lose it.

“My dads.” Flat-Top sighed as C.B. handed over the picture. It was a stereotypical family portrait, with a very young Flat-Top standing between his two fathers.

“You had parents?” C.B. asked quietly, sitting down beside Flat-Top. 

“Yep. Haven’t seen them since I got sent here.” Flat-Top’s small grin faltered.

“I’m sorry.” C.B. said, copying Dustin and gently pressing his head against Flat-Top’s. 

“No point in thinking about it now.” Flat-Top shrugged and he tucked the photo safely away in his plating.

“You wanna sleep pile?” Dustin asked quietly.

“...Yeah...” Flat-Top plopped down on his back, wincing a bit.

“What’s wrong?” C.B. asked, concern flashing on his usually grinning face. 

“Lets just say that carrying tons and tons of bricks leaves some lasting affects.” Flat-Top snorted.

“Remind me to give you a massage later,” C.B. Mumbled before settling down by the brick truck, “Until then we can kiss it better.” Then he pecked Flat-Top on the cheek.

“Ew.” Flat-Top rolled his eyes, but he leaned into the affection. 

Dustin settled down on the opposite side of C.B., essentially sandwiching Flat-Top. He buried his nose in the crook of Flat-Top’s neck and pressed a kiss there, “You want The Rockies ‘ere, too?” he asked.

“...Yeah...” Flat-Top smiled tenderly, melting with the affection.

C.B. sent them a message through his link and not even ten minutes later, the three boxcars could be heard carefully opening and close the shed door before quietly dropping their helmets on the floor.

“We didn’t finish our work...” Rocky muttered, but he didn’t complain when he curled up with his back pressed to Dustin’s. 

“We didn’t...” Rocco mumbled, as if just realizing it. He laid next to C.B., grunting a little when Rocket unceremoniously plopped his head and upper back down on his belly, getting comfy on the surprisingly plush surface.

“We can finish it later before dinner.” Rocket whispered, settling.

It didn’t take very long for everyone to fall asleep. The loud purring could probably be heard outside of the shed, but nobody complained about the noise. Everyone knew not to mess with a group of napping freight, as anyone who made a fuss about it before had been intimidated by Rocky and C.B. almost to the point of terror. 

_ Young Flat-Top was chatting away to Brick, taking a small break from carrying bricks. His knees buckled out from himself earlier, and he was still recovering. He looked up from Brick when someone cleared their throat. _

_ “‘Ello! I’m Dustin! These are C.B. and The Rockies.” A young big Hopper said, a little shy as he introduced everyone. _

_ “Flat-Top.” the young brick truck briefly introduced himself. _

_ “Poppa wanted to know if you would come to dinner at ‘is ‘ouse.” Dustin smiled while the other young trucks eagerly grinned and bounced in anticipation. _

_ Flat-Top saw how happy they all looked, maybe it was time to make another friend or two. “Sure.” He said quietly. _

**Author's Note:**

> ASDFGHJKL I HAVE A NEW RAREPAIR


End file.
